ORRA Buying and Selling Tips

Buying & Selling Tips

Buying a Home

It's probably the biggest investment you'll ever make with long-term financial ramifications. It calls for many informed decisions and for good advice from a real estate professional.

Members of the Orlando Regional Realtor® Association (ORRA) are real estate professionals who belong to the National Association of Realtors® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate brokers and agents are Realtors®. To make sure you're working with one, look for the federally registered membership mark Realtor®.

ORRA members also are required to complete six hours of specialized Legal Liability training every two years. This mandatory education enables Realtors® to better serve you.

When buying a home, here's what you can learn from a Realtor®'s knowledge and skill:

* A Realtor® can help you determine how much home you can actually afford. Often, a Realtor® can suggest additional ways to accrue the down payment and explain alternative financing methods.* A Realtor® can help you determine the home best suited to your family's needs and size, style, features, location, accessibility to schools, transportation, shopping, etc.* Realtor® has access to thousands of listings of available homes, and can match the features of currently listed homes with your needs and within your price range, saving you time and frustration on unsuitable homes.* A Realtor® can offer suggestions on how, with a few simple changes, a home could be made more suitable for you and improve its utility and value.* A Realtor® can supply information on real estate values, taxes, utility costs, municipal services and facilities, and may be aware of proposed zoning changes that could affect your decision to buy.* A Realtor® has no emotional ties to the homes he or she shows, can be objective about them, and can point out advantages and disadvantages while answering your questions.* A Realtor® usually knows his or her local money market and can tell you about financing. A Realtor® can also tell you what personal and financial data to bring with you when applying for a loan.* A Realtor® can help you better understand the closing process by explaining it all before you get to the closing table.

Selling Your Home

Want to get the best price for your home? Here's a quick list of things you can do to ensure the best sales price and a speedy sale!

Inside Your Home* Paint inside walls and woodwork* Oil doors, tighten loose cabinet knobs, take out removable stains* Check that all windows, doors, and drawers can be easily opened and closed* Replace damaged floor tiles, clean soiled carpeting* Tighten leaky faucets, repair or replace faulty wall switches, outlets, light fixtures and appliances that will stay with the home* Scrub bathroom tiles and grout, polish faucets, keep toiletries and medicines in their chest, and laundry items in a closed hamper* Clean windows and keep closets, basement, and garage clear of clutter* You may also want to have a garage sale to rid you of items you've accumulated over the years prior to showing your home.